2_point8_boy

last time I rebuilt it, I was a stupid kid who thought that I could do anything if I tried hard enough...sure enough I did it, but I'm paying for it now.

2 years ago, I utterly destoyed my rear pinion bearing and rebuilt the rear with absolutly none of the proper tools and 0 experience...stupid mistake. Ruined a $200 set of gears. I didn't set the depth right and over the course of the last 2 years managed to rip teeth off the ring gear. It whined more than any woman I know, but suprised me by lasting 2 years.

Now I am at it again, but this time I have WAY more experience and the right tools (this is the one that matters), however, that's not totally true. I am missing an in/lb torque wrench and can't get a hold of one for the life of me. This poses a couple of questions:

1) Can I use a ft/lb wrench that reads down to 1.75 lb/ft (20 in/lbs by the math) 'cause I have one of these. Kind of a wierd tool, but my dad has one sitting in his tool box "brand new."

2) Is there a set spec for doing the crush sleeve, meaning can I tighten down the bolt to a certain torque and call it a day?

3)What would be the Immediate ramifications of getting the preload too loose? If i set up the rear and drive it down to my buddy at the auto shop, throw it on the lift and finish the procedure there (with the in/lb wrench) would there be any long term problems? I'm talking a drive of about 12 mi. with about 4 mi. of freeway time.

Other than that, I have everything else I need and am good to go. Damn I wish there was an easier way to do this.

I'll see about posting pics of what happens when stupid people play with gear sets.

2_point8_boy

Just to clarify #3...the reason I just don't do it at the shop is because they are closed on Sat. which is when I will be doing it since it is my only day off in the fore-seeable future. But if I can set up the rear on Sat. drive the car down there Monday morning, I can get it all done nice and happy.

doc76239

You are just going to ruin any new parts that you put in your rear end if you just run the car down to you buddy's shop. Your talking about 12 miles, if it was a few blocks away maybe, but not 12. You may even totally wreck your car or worse. If it locks up, or blows apart. Not to mention you doing your own car work and then getting in an accident and hurting some one else then getting sued. Hope this helps.

ede

you need a dial type in/lbs wrench, no way around it. look on ebay if you want a used one. no you can't torque the nut and have correct preload. it's too late to go back and try to fix things if you set it up wrong and run the gears, or drive the car.

2_point8_boy

OK, managed to beg and borrow the tools that I needed and managed to get the car back on the road today. Man, it's been 2 years since my rear didn't make noise, so now I'm noticing all of the other little creaks my car makes now. I'll see about getting some pics posted tomorrow on what the ring gear looked like. Man, it wa UGLY. 41 teeth originally came on the gear, only 20 remain, I don't know how the hell the car moved under it's own power.

Anyway, Thanks for the input.

VILeninDM

Well, I guess I quality as the stupid kid who thinks he can do anything if he works hard enough. I am hoping to have 2.5 years of experience with my fbody in about 2 years from now. In the meantime I have a rear end sitting on my garage floor and I was going to rebuild it this winter (as soon as I can't do bodywork anymore, which is another thing I've never done before).

So based on your experience, you got any tips so I don't repeat the same mistakes you did? Or at least don't repeat as many of them?

The good news is that I called Randy's ring+pinion and they told me the gears have a lifetime warranty, so for any reason, they will replace them (at least once).

What tools do you need to get the job done properly?

ede

ron terry has a list of tools you need, try this
read your manual or search around here for how to, or what not to do

VILeninDM

I've been reading. I've been searching. I already spoke with the guys at ring and pinion. I read GM manual for our cars. I've read ring and pinion's PDF manual that comes with installation kit.

I am assuming 2pt8 did a similar thing 2 years ago and yet he still made mistakes. All I see is another person with much more experience than me who went through exactly the same thing.

I am just asking if he, having done the research and having done the work, can offer me some advice so I stay clear away from some of the problems he has encountered.

2_point8_boy

Here's the thing...make sure that you have a press, a Bearing Splitter, a Dial Torque wrench for in/lbs...and lot's of patience. You have to get that pinion depth and backlash dead-on-nuts accurate. If you don't you WILL ruin a set of gears and have to do it all again in a little while. I'll post pics tomorrow, but man, it takes a lot of work if you don't have the proper stuff, and chances are that you'll screw something up. Preperation is the key. Get all the stuff you need together BEFORE you start, that way you aren't inclined to rush the job without the proper things to do it correctly.

Unfortunatly, I am the kind of guy that can't learn from other's mistakes, only my own, so when I was told the first time to just let someone with the proper tools and training do it, I didn't listem and ended up wasting $300 in parts just so I could do it again 2 years later.

At least this time I was smart enought to ask If I could use a ft/lb dial wrench insted, apparently the answer was no, so I managed to get a hold of a in/lb one.

Hope this helps...probably not exactly what you were after, but that's what I got for advise man. Good luck

VILeninDM

Hey 2pt8, thanks for the reply. I guess the second time you didn't learn the lesson to take it to a shop like everyone told you to

I know I can take it to a shop, but where is the fun in that. Plus the way I see it, if you don't do it once, you will never do it a second time. Plus if you take it to a shop, you never know if people there are going to do it right (unless you know of a good shop, which I don't know of any around here). One thing is for sure, I have way more patience than anyone professional, I am not on the clock. And I don't have a time line. Right now the car is sitting on jackstands waiting for the booth to rise up around it so I can do some body work. After that there is still tranny rebuild (doing myself of course ), then entirely new suspension, new clutch, new engine and finally custom interior.

So at this point I know the car will not be done for the next 2 years (or 3) and I really don't mind spending extra time and several hunder bucks on new tools (I like tools). Tools are investement for when you other shist breaks. Just about each job I was able to do myself in the past saved me several hundreds right there. Having more tools means I can do more and in the end save more. I got a kick today when I heard one of my co-workers was charged something like $350 for replacing valve-cover seal, changing tranny fluid and some other minor maintenance. That kinda money can buy you a very nice bearing splitter kit.

Anywho, back to business. I looked through Yukon gear installation PDF, and here's what it listed for special tools:
- dial indicator w/ magnetic base (~$100)
- calipers or micrometer (check)
- bearing pooler (check)
- press (already on my to-buy list for this fall)
- gear marking compound (can't imaging being expensive)
- torque wrenches (in-lbs and ft-lbs). Need to buy the smaller one ($100 ?)
- impact wrench (check)

That's all they had. Nothing about bearing separator. Not sure what's up with that. What size bearing separator are we talking here. I found them for as little as $40 and a full set of different sizes for $280? What else am I missing?

SSC

Like the ones in this kit. I have a less expensive Matco set but I'm sure you could pick up a cheapo set from sears or one of the junk tool stores that will serve your needs. You will need one to replace the carrier bearings (not always a must) and to re-shim the pinion which will be a must have tool when the time comes.

VILeninDM

yeah, I think when I saw "bearing puller", I read "gear puller" which I already have a whole bunch of. Manual probably meant bear splitters, so looks like I will have to buy a set.

Is there something special about the in-lbs torque wrench? I remember reading a thread, but I can't find it anymore. Is it supposed to have 1/2" drive and something about low torque values getting really screwed up if you use socket adapters. I have 3/8" drive, I am assuming that will be no good for this job. Can anyone confirm this?

SSC

Actully Ive never seen a 1/2 drive IPW, I'm sure someone makes one but it would not be needed if you have the correct 3/8 drive sockets. The tq value gets screwed up when you gain length with adaptors and extensions over a certain length like 6in or so anything under is fairly stout and usually wont cause false readings.

VILeninDM

SSC, I found that thread I was referring to. Apparently in Europe, they sell 1/2" in-lbs wrenches and also 1-1/4 3/8"-drive sockets.

Right now I am still on RB's side. I just don't see how different square or an adapter make a difference. I've taken physics in high school and again in college, and torque is torque. But ede seemed to go along with the idea. Even the instructions manuals that came with both torque wrenches I have said that extensions will not make any difference, but you must take care to make sure they are exactly perpendicular to the bolt and you cannot use any extensions which are bent to get into tight spaces. Those will screw up the reading.

RED92BIRD305

i set up my gears to specs last year and they still whine like a feind. i put like 300 miles on the car this summer and checked them agiain. the wear pattern is good and the backlash is good. what could i be doing wrong i am stumped as well as a few certified mechanics who looked at the wear pattern also. they are a matched set and i have lived with them so far but being quieter would be nice. by the way they are a richmond 3.73 ratio matched set. thanks